Anyone out there working in CAD? ...thinking about a career change & need some pointers!

 

Yep, Pretending to work atm, What would you like to know?
Ray Li also "works" in this line

Daz

 

I'm the same as the two above..... been 'working' hard today using Solidworks.

 

Sort of....what's your background and where are you, as we may be looking for people (we do thermal and electro magnetic modelling software for electronics). Not pure cad, but some involvement with it.

 

@ Daz

As a starter you should begin with 2D CAD in AutoCAD then move on to 3D CAD. The real money in CAD is in Pro-Engineer or Catia but there is a salary limit working in CAD.

If you know anything about PCBs move into that area as there's always jobs going offering decent money.

Stay clear of Solidworks as we don't need the competition for work

 

I use Cad.
Best bet, is to sign up for an after work introductory course at your local college, then you'll see if you have the flair for it.
Lots of different courses available i.e 3D, customizations & System management, Autolisp (Hard as ****, but I passed with distinction ). Then there's all the different programes for Cad. Just depends what area of business your looking at going into. I'm in Construction (industrial Roofing & Cladding), so mostly all I do is 2d work, with the odd 3d model thrown in.

Only draw back is staring at a computer screen all day.

 

There are 3 main packages, Solidworks, Pro E & AutoCAD Inventor.
I use Inventor but have used the other 2, for learning 3D Inventor is prob easiest.
Salary wise, to keep progressing start in CAD then move into design, then into design/management

How do Ray Finished for today?

Daz

 

Great! ...& there was me expecting zero response!

I currently work in the games industry (13 years, 10 of which have been 3D modelling) working with Alias/Wavefront (Maya) ...& the last couple of projects have been pretty high poly & precise stuff (Vehicle & Architecture) & i kind of enjoyed it!

So what are the 'Industry standards' when it comes to CAD modelling? ...& what's the best way in ...& dont say Uni!

 

Cheers guys,

Salary wise what are we looking at (start wise & ceiling wise) ...currently a Senior Artist/Designer & plenty of bills & dependants!

Currently work off a mixture of given designs plus my own & so was looking towards 1st stage prototype pre-production work as that would probably fit best with what I currently do

Based in the Midlands ...& fed up of playing with Lara's t1ts!

 

Big Daz

Doing fine today as I've got the day off but had to work Friday.
Using my time wisely to get my portfolio into shape

What do you design?

 

DazW

As a start you could be looking at £15k-£20k for a draftsman.

As said before you'll need to move into design for better money but that might be a bit difficult if you don't have an engineering background.
In design/management you could be looking in the range of £15k-£35k

There are a few exceptions like PSLewis that are on crazy money

I went Uni then started on £15k as a 2D draftsman using autocad.

 

Sounds like you are too cad oriented for us You'd probably get bored with it too and want to go back to playing with some virtual ladies body parts

 

If you don't have any engineering background you'll be looking at getting a job as a draftsman which is very boring.
spend all day updating other peoples drawings and designs cuz Big Daz and I are to lazy to do it

 

it has been known for people to download cad 2006 off limewire and practice on it
cant reccomend it of course as its illegal and you should buy it at 900 quid

 

I design Travelling Wave Tubes, used in Radar / Missile guidance / satcom etc applications
Starting to get involved in the Thermal management / heat transfer side of things too

DazW - As Ray says, the bigger money is in Design / Management, I dont have a degree (yet- doing one part time) and have got here by working my way up & gaining experience alone. I now run the Mech Eng department which means I can "delegate" the more boring stuff to others

Daz

 

I'm in the Highways and Transportation field which is mainly 2D AutoCAD based work. I began a draughtsman/technician, went on a day release course starting with C&G Introduction to AutCAD, then Basic AutoCAD 1, 2 and 3. I then went on to Advanced AutoCAD 1, 2 and 3 which included LISP Routine stuff and basic 3d CAD as the last module of Advanced 3. If you go this route you will get an idea as to wether you grasp the whole 3D CAD thing. It sounds to me like your already in the 3D environment so you should be fine with this.

As for salary I would agree with Ray_li that your looking at starting out at 15k with potential to progress to about 30k as a senior/principal CAD technician (2d CAD). Your looking at about a 10 year period from basic CAD operator to senior/principal CAD Technician. Going the contract route though is a different ball game all together, your looking at starting at about £20k to around £50k depending on how hard you want to work. No idea about the 3D CAD route though, would have thought there's even more money to be made.

 

Sounds like a job. Do you know PSLewis?

 

Well, I use CAD - as Ray says .... but, I am a fully qualified Engineer who uses it as a tool in my toolbox.

I get paid for my Engineering Design skills - not my CAD skills. I also manage the Electro-Mechanical Design Office.

I use AutoCad for 2D - Unigraphics for 3D Solid Modelling - Mentor Graphics and PCAD for my PCB Designs. I also use a few other packages when and if needed.

I generally do the designs and pass that onto CAD Draughtsmen/Women - we pay about £25 - 30k for a basic CAD Draughtsman but you need to be Apprentice trained and hold at least an ONC Level in an Engineering discipline.

If you can develop in Design then £50k+ is easy money ....

Pete

 

so where do we all send our CVs to even I spelt draughtman wrong twice

 

As you know Ray .... www.awe.co.uk

Pete

 

If you're a 'proper' CAD Designer then I'd say Pro-Engineer, Catia V5, I-Deas and Unigraphics NX are the 'main' packages used....

 

I wouldnt want to drive everyday or move there altho the money is tempting

I could do with polishing up on my interview technique and getting a feed back on how I do

 

solidworks is common since they teach it in schools and uni (some salesman must have got a fat commission on that deal)

 

Unigraphics NX is the dogs danglies ....... for 3D Modelling

Mentor Graphics is the Daddy for PCB Design .......

Pete

 

i commented because he made out that the software he mentioned were the 'only' choices when you're a CAD designer....

 

I didnt realise I used the words 'only software' or made out to sound that way. Sorry if I did

 

not you - BigDaz

 

Nope, I didnt.
"There are 3 main packages, Solidworks, Pro E & AutoCAD Inventor"

These currently have the most seats in the UK.
Nowhere did I say there were not others or that they were the best available.
If the word "main" was mistaken for "only" then I hope this clarifies.
DazW was looking for advice and in my opinion he has a better chance of getting employment with skills in one of the above over one of the other (perhaps better, perhaps not) packages.
Daz

 

i've been on the hunt for over a month now and Solidworks, Pro E & AutoCAD Inventor seems to pop up everywhere.
Pro E seems to be offering more money

 

I've been using Microstation and Solidworks but we have switched to AutoCAD and Inventor since the start of the year. I'm in the process of switching over as old projects finish and new ones start. I work in our Product Development team.